3 Ways to Save Money on Easter Meals

While Easter dinner may not be in the same league as Thanksgiving dinner, it is still a time when we typically splurge on a big meal to share with family and friends. However, there is no reason you have to empty your wallet to have a great meal on Easter.

Plan dishes around inexpensive ingredientsRather than plan your menu off recipes that have long ingredient lists, look for simple dishes that use fewer, more inexpensive foods. If your family does a brunch, egg dishes, French toast and homemade pancakes are all cheap and easy and yet can taste so good.

For dinner, buy seasonal sides and prepare them simply. Mixed greens can be turned into a stunning salad with just a few garnishes and some light dressing. Or steamed asparagus with a little butter can be an elegant dish that complements any type of main course meat.

Buy your meat at a deep discountSpeaking of your main course, you want to buy a quality cut -- but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a deal. Hams, in particular, go on deep discount this time of year.

Ham is popular but it isn’t the only item on sale. Consider rib roasts, lamb legs or beef roasts if your store has them on sale. If you have always bought a certain cut of meat for Easter, but it’s not on sale this year, step outside the box. Try something new and you may discover a new family favorite!

Raid your freezer and pantryFinally, don’t forget to use what you have on hand. Even if you don’t have a super couponing stockpile, you likely have food in the pantry, the fridge and the freezer. Before hitting the store, check for canned or frozen veggies, spices and condiments. Maybe you picked up a clearance priced ham after Christmas and tucked it away in your freezer. Now is the time to pull that baby out!

Don’t feel locked into a traditional Easter meal either. If you have ingredients such as pasta, rice or beans on hand, consider using them as the base for some dishes. If you aren’t sure what to do with them, visit allrecipes.com and use their ingredient search feature. It will give you suggestions for new recipes that are worthy of your holiday dinner.

In the end, remember that Easter shouldn’t be about having the perfect centerpiece with the perfect food in the perfectly decorated house. Instead, it should be about spending time with family and friends while reflecting on the gifts and blessings we have been so generously given.

The best couponers save hundreds of dollars every month at the grocery store. However, extreme couponers can end up living very extreme lifestyles to get those savings. For over five years, SavingsAngel.com has equalized the playing field – giving extreme savings to busy families who don’t have the time or ability to be an extreme couponer. Each week, SavingsAngel.com’s over 70 angels combine over 2,000 products on sale at local grocery and drug stores with an enormous database of over 2000 different manufacturer coupons. These combinations result in our members getting access to over 300 products each week for 50% off or better. Simply log in, choose the deals you want, print or clip only the coupons you need, and save hundreds of dollars a month at regional and national stores. Our angels will personally work with you to craft a plan that will help you buy healthier food at lower prices – helping you keep $200 to $400 in savings each month.

Josh Elledge is the Chief Executive “Angel” of SavingsAngel, Inc. – launched from his home in January 2007. A husband and father of three, he now appears each week on television, in eight newspapers, and a number of radio stations across the country teaching families how to cut their grocery bill in half using the Internet. Elledge created the technology found on SavingsAngel.com through the need to save his own family’s money. Successfully able to cut his own grocery bill from $600 a month to less than $300 a month, his message has reached hundreds of thousands of families. SavingsAngel.com is now growing rapidly throughout the country. You can watch a short video at SavingsAngel.com that will explain more information about how to cut your own grocery bill in half with the help of SavingsAngel.com!

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